


Mistletoe

by lonelysector23



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Pre-Relationship, but fluff nonetheless, holiday fluff, mistletoe smooches, super late holiday fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 12:02:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22710595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonelysector23/pseuds/lonelysector23
Summary: Satinalia shenanigans ensue, much to Lily's dismay.
Relationships: Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan, Female Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford, Female Mage Inquisitor/Cullen Rutherford
Comments: 6
Kudos: 20





	Mistletoe

The herb was hung in every doorway in Skyhold.

It didn’t matter where Lily went - the sprigs were _ everywhere_, even in places she would have never suspected. 

She spotted the first one in the stables, tied to the wooden beam above her mare’s stall. It was such an odd and innocent looking thing, but she was well aware of its meaning.

The tradition wasn’t foreign to her - she may have lived in the Circle for most of her life, but that didn’t mean she was completely clueless as to what usually happened whenever people stood under the bundle of pointy green leaves and white berries. 

The last time she had seen mistletoe was in Amaranthine, about a year after she left the Circle. She didn’t dare participate in the casual, giggling kisses everyone had shared with each other back then, even though she had received many nudges to do so. 

No, she hadn’t been ready back then, but perhaps she was ready now. It was just a kiss, after all.

Her mare was the first to receive one, right on her muzzle.

The second was dangling from the entrance to Josephine’s office, and the third was hung in the doorway leading into the war room. Lily was silently relieved yet disappointed when a scout arrived to inform them Cullen would be skipping the morning meeting to train the new recruits. While she may have wanted to see him, she had no clue what she would have done if he had attended. Her bravery from earlier nearly shriveled up at the mere thought of standing under that herb with him, but luckily for her, he seemed to be preoccupied with the soldiers, much to the chagrin of Leliana and Josephine.

Their annoyance seemed to be forgotten the moment Lily planted a light kiss on both of their cheeks as they were leaving the war room. 

The fourth was tied to a string of colorful Satinalia decorations that was hung throughout the entire main hall. It was right above her usual spot at the table, and it was pointed out by Dorian and Varric over breakfast. They both seemed a little _ too _ amused at the situation, but Lily was too focused on the food before her to bother asking them about their joking moods.

Their teasing remarks were replaced by delighted chuckles when Lily quickly kissed their cheeks before stuffing her mouth with a cherry tart.

It wasn’t until she spotted the fifth bundle in the gardens that she began to grow suspicious. It was tied to a high branch that hung directly above her elfroot seedlings, right over the spot where she usually knelt down to tend to her plants. Was it just her imagination, or was the herb specifically planted in the places she frequented most? The thought itself was absurd, considering the fact that there were bundles of it all over Skyhold.

Just when she convinced herself that she was being silly, Cole appeared next to her.

_ “The plan isn’t working, but they don’t want to give up. They want you both to be happy.” _

Before Lily had a chance to ask what he meant, he disappeared into thin air, almost as if he had never been there to begin with.

His cryptic words rang in the back of her mind as she continued to go about her day, though they eventually faded away with the whirlwind of errands and tasks that she had to take care of before the day was over. The chance to unwind in the peace and quiet of her quarters finally arrived in the late afternoon, and she was reading through some reports on her desk when Raphael stopped by to insist she head to the tavern with him to join everyone for dinner. 

The excuses she gave in favor of her work were simply brushed aside, and she finally relented when she realized he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Being stubborn was a Trevelyan family trait. Being a good liar, however, wasn’t. 

Lily found it odd that he had missed breakfast that morning, and to make things even more curious, it was the first time she had seen him all day. His slight stuttering when she asked him about it did little to brush aside the slight suspicion that was making itself known again. 

_ “Th - this morning? I, um, I was busy training with Sera and Varric.” _

Unless Varric had somehow mastered the ability of being in two places at once, Lily didn’t see how that could have been possible. Still, she went along with his lie anyway - she wasn’t about to pry into anything he obviously wanted to keep to himself. 

The tavern was loud and lively when they arrived, full of music, laughter and animated conversation. People twirled and danced in rhythm to Maryden’s joyful tune, which Lily recognized as one of the Satinalia songs that were sung almost every night in anticipation for the party Josephine had planned for later that week. 

According to Raphael, it was the celebration _ before _ the celebration, and from the looks of it, he wouldn’t be surprised if it all carried on until First Day.

Seeing the many people who have endured an incredible amount of hardship in the past year being so happy and carefree filled Lily with a quiet sense of joy. After living in so much uncertainty and fear, these moments of happiness were well deserved and long overdue, however brief they may be. 

She and Raphael were greeted with a loud cheer from a large table at the back of the tavern, where most of the inner circle was engaged in conversation and drinks. While she was happy to see everyone, it was still hard to ignore the pang of disappointment that washed over her when she noticed Cullen wasn’t at the table. She hadn’t seen him all day, and if she was being honest with herself, she was starting to get a little worried.

Was he ill?

She knew it was risky to ask Raphael if Cullen would be joining them, but she decided to take her chances anyway. She shifted in her seat and nudged him with her elbow when he finished talking with Sera, bracing herself for the teasing she knew would soon follow. 

It was almost comical how his face lit up at her question, but instead of his usual playful prodding, he merely assured her Cullen was fine and that he would be arriving once he was done with some paperwork. 

A few hours passed, and Cullen never showed.

There was no reason to feel let down about it, not when it was so common for him to lose track of time. But… part of her missed him, and it was useless to try to deny it. She just hoped he wasn’t overworking himself and that he at least had a meal sent up to his tower.

Raphael didn’t seem very happy about Cullen’s absence either, though Lily wasn’t sure why. His frown deepened with every hour that went by, and she even had to stop him from getting up from his seat when he wanted to go see what was taking Cullen so long. 

That was enough for her to sense something was a little… off. Raphael’s impatience drew her attention to the others around the table, and this time, she didn’t miss the shared whispers between Leliana and Josephine or the ‘subtle’, meaningful looks Dorian and Varric shot Raphael’s way from behind their cards. 

Whatever it was they were all up to, Lily figured it was best to leave them to it and retire for the night. The little energy she had was beginning to run out after losing a hefty amount of coin to Josephine - _ again _ \- and she still had a sizable stack of reports to go through before the night was up. 

She wished everyone a goodnight despite their protests for her to stay a little longer for another game of Wicked Grace. Raphael looked somewhat resigned as he pulled her in for a seemingly innocent hug before she could get out of her seat, and proceeded to blow a loud, wet raspberry on her cheek. His wide grin was wiped off his face when she smeared a glob of bread pudding on his cheek in retaliation, and she quickly made her way out of the tavern before any more food could be flung through the air.

She was almost outside when she heard Bull’s booming laughter.

_ “I’m sure Cullen would _ ** _love_ ** _ to get Lily’s bread pudding on _ ** _his_ ** _ face!” _

The heat that rushed to Lily’s face at Bull’s words felt like literal fire and she whipped around just in time to see Raphael spit ale all over the table. He coughed violently despite Bull and Sera’s roaring laughter, and Josephine glared at them as she began to say something over the commotion. 

Lily was completely mortified at the situation, but the jumbled and… _ vivid _ thoughts in her head screeched to a halt when she noticed the many bundles of mistletoe dangling from the high ceiling, directly over their table. 

She frowned as she thought back to all the specifically placed herbs she had encountered throughout the day, her inner circle’s shifty demeanor, Raphael’s strange behavior, and finally, her odd interaction with Cole.

He had mentioned something about a _ plan. _

Oh, Raphael had a _ lot _ of explaining to do. 

Lily rubbed at her burning cheeks as she stepped out into the cold night and was thankful for the silence it brought, which was a complete contrast to her rushing mind. The noise from the tavern faded away as she hurried towards the steps leading into the main hall, and she purposefully kept her gaze away from Cullen’s tower the entire time. Still, that didn’t stop her from noticing the light shining through his windows or the slight movements of the soldiers who were entering and leaving his office. 

A spark of annoyance flared through her when she finally reached her quarters. Either Raphael had blabbed her secret to everyone and their mother, or Bull was even better at reading people than she previously thought. 

There was also the unfortunate possibility that she was just _ that _ transparent, much to her dismay.

She had no clue how she would face _ anyone _ in the next couple of days, let alone Cullen. What if he somehow found out about what Bull had said?

Maker, she was done for. 

The reports on her desk suddenly seemed daunting considering that she had to give them to Cullen in the morning, but she forced herself to go through them anyway. She needed to distract her mind from it all, and she could think of no better way to do that than by spending a few hours reading about conflicts and impending reparations.

She was about to finish her last report when she heard a knock on her door a few hours later. The annoyance from before made itself known again as she wondered if it was Raphael, but she dismissed the idea when she realized he wouldn’t have waited so long to let himself inside. She sighed as she called for whoever it was to come in and signed the last of her paperwork. 

The familiar sound of a clearing throat made her freeze just as she was sorting the documents on her desk, and she quickly looked up to find Cullen standing near the fireplace. 

Lily’s heart stuttered in her chest when she met his gaze. She didn’t think she’d ever get used to the warm amber of his eyes, especially when they were focused only on her. The breath she managed to take caught in her throat when her eyes traveled down to his lips, and heat rushed to her face as she remembered what Bull had blurted in the tavern. She quickly turned her gaze away, suddenly thankful for the dim lighting in the room.

She had no idea how she’d make Bull pay, but Maker take her, she would figure something out.

“I’m sorry, is... is this a bad time?”

Cullen’s uncertain tone made her push away the rush of embarrassment and she cleared her throat as she prepared herself to turn back to him. Despite her resolve, she still paused when she met his eyes again.

His armor clanked softly as he shifted in place, appearing somewhat unsure as he looked back at her, and he began to fidget with what appeared to be a couple of reports in his hands.

_ Get it together, Lily. _

She shook her head and gave him a small smile as she stood from her seat. Her pulse quickened when she noticed him begin to approach her desk, and she cleared her throat as she busied herself with the sloppy stack of parchment.

“It’s never a bad time,” she replied quietly. 

Her face warmed even more once the words left her mouth, and she pressed one of her hands to her cheek in an effort to hide it. She made the mistake of looking up at him again, and the soft yet intense look on his face had her scrambling for something to say.

She quickly glanced down at the sheets of parchment he was still holding.

“Did those arrive this evening?” she asked. 

“Uh, y-yes.” Cullen hesitated as he looked down at the reports he was holding before offering them to her. “Just a few minor things that can wait until morning.”

Lily fought back a smile despite herself and tried not to focus on the pleasant feeling of his fingers lightly brushing against her own as she took the reports from him. The meaning behind his words wasn’t lost on her, and it warmed her a bit to know he cared about her less-than-ideal sleeping habits. 

“Is that your way of telling me not to stay up too late?” 

Cullen’s lips tugged up into a slight smirk. 

“Perhaps,” he replied. The slight humor in his amber eyes dimmed as he paused and shifted in place. “I apologize for not making it to dinner. Raphael let me know well in advance, but… I seem to have lost track of time.”

Lily blushed as Bull’s words rang through her mind again and she was suddenly relieved Cullen hadn’t shown up at the tavern at all. 

“It’s alright,” she smiled, as she fidgeted with the corners of Cullen’s reports. “Aside from the, um, _ usual _ shenanigans, you didn’t really miss much.” 

“Oh?”

“Everyone lost coin to Josie again,” Lily explained, as she kept her eyes on the desk. There was _ no _ way she would offer any more details than that. “As you can imagine, no one was taking it very well, including myself.”

“I see,” Cullen huffed. “I suppose it was smart of me to not show up this time.”

Lily tried to hold back laughter at his disgruntled tone, but failed when she looked up to find him looking at her with an indignant and slightly amused expression. 

“It wasn’t _ so _ bad,” she chuckled. “Josie gave you your cloak back eventually, and it was even cleaned.”

“Yes, well. I may have missed my chance tonight, but I am determined to eventually figure out our Lady Ambassador’s tells. I almost had her last time.”

“Right,” Lily smirked. “I wish you better luck in the next game, then.” 

Cullen raised a brow. “You doubt my impending victory?” 

“Not at all,” grinned Lily. “But I’ll tell you what - in the _ unlikely _ event of your defeat, you will owe me…” she trailed off for a moment and she tapped a fingernail on her desk before looking back up at him, already feeling the warmth in her face intensify. “An afternoon in the gardens to help me tend to my herbs. No paperwork allowed.”

Cullen’s eyes widened and his entire face seemed to darken as he looked back at her, and for a brief second Lily was terrified she had overstepped with her silly request. Needless to say, she was a little surprised when instead of firmly declining, he gave her a soft smile.

“Alright,” he agreed. “And what do I receive if - _ when - _I win?” 

Lily bit her lip and grinned. “I’ll give you a tin of those shortbread cookies I know you like so much,” she replied. “I could even try to make them for you, though I’m not sure how edible they would be.”

Cullen chuckled and extended his hand out to her. “I agree to your terms, my lady.”

Lily eyed his bare hand for a second before placing her hand in his and desperately tried to not focus on the pleasant warmth and roughness of his skin. Her face warmed up once again as she shook it, but instead of getting flustered beyond her control, she remembered something he had mentioned earlier. 

“Speaking of cookies,” she began, as she looked back at him. “Have you had the chance to eat anything?”

“Y - yes,” he smiled. “Flissa sent something up for me before I came to see you.”

There was something in Cullen’s words that caught Lily’s attention, but before she could figure it out, he looked down at the desk and rubbed the back of his neck. She knew him well enough to know something besides reports was on his mind, and she was about to ask if something was wrong when he started to speak.

“I - I didn’t come to see you just for reports,” he said, as he shifted in place. “I wanted to - I mean, I know Satinalia is still a few days away, but I… I figured this would be the best time to give this to you.” 

Realization dawned on Lily as he began to reach into his mantle, and she was suddenly overwhelmed at the mere thought of receiving a gift from him.

“Cullen, you didn’t have to - ”

He shook his head slightly and gave her a small smile.

“I wanted to,” he said simply, as he pulled out a flat package wrapped in thick parchment paper from his breast pocket. He held it in his hands for a moment and seemed to take a deep breath before offering it to her with a sheepish expression.

“Please forgive the plain wrapping - I was unable to find Josephine’s decorative paper.”

Lily stared at the perfectly wrapped package in his hands, which was tied with an intricate knot of twine that resembled a bow, and felt herself break into a smile. 

“I - uh, well... thank you,” she said shyly, as she accepted the gift. Her mind felt like a jumbled mess, but she willed her hands to remain steady as she carefully unwrapped the somewhat heavy parcel.

A sturdy, leather-bound journal was revealed as she peeled the paper away. It had a branded decoration of intricate herbs and flowers on the smooth, brown cover, and it was complete with its own set of wooden calligraphy pens and charcoal sticks, along with a small pot of black ink.

It was absolutely beautiful.

Lily stared openmouted at the writing set before her, completely speechless.

“I - I recall you mentioning how your current one was starting to fall apart, so I - um, I - I saw this and I thought you might like it,” Cullen rushed out.

His voice startled Lily out of her shock and she quickly looked up to find Cullen nervously rubbing the back of his neck and shifting in place. It was then that she realized she had taken too long to say anything, and she quickly cleared her throat in an effort to gather her thoughts. 

“It’s lovely,” she breathed, as she traced the indentation of a wild rose on the cover before meeting his eyes. “I - I’m sorry about my reaction, I just… I just wasn't expecting this.”

Cullen smiled tentatively at her words, relief slowly replacing the worry from before.

“So… it’s alright? I wasn’t sure if it was the right kind of journal you needed.”

“It’s perfect,” murmured Lily, as she looked over the cover once more. The blush that was already in her cheeks grew even more when she looked up at him again and gave him a shy smile. “Thank you.”

Cullen smiled back at her and loosened a small breath as his body visibly relaxed.

“It was the least I could do,” he said quietly. He opened his mouth as if to say something more, but hesitated and cleared his throat instead. “I… I should leave you to your rest, then - ”

“Wait,” Lily blurted, as she stepped out from behind her desk. 

Cullen stilled just as he was about to turn to leave, looking slightly surprised at her outburst.

Silence settled over them for a few seconds as Lily thought about a certain wrapped box that was carefully hidden underneath her desk. It was her Satinalia gift to Cullen, but after what had happened in the tavern, she had no clue if she would have been brave enough to give it to him during the festivities. 

Well, this opportunity was as good as any. Maybe even better, considering no one was around to tease or embarrass her. 

“I - I have something for you, too,” she said, as she quickly moved to retrieve the package from under the desk. Her heart was beginning to pound and her arms felt like jelly, but she willed herself to meet Cullen’s gaze as she stepped in front of him and offered her gift.

His eyes were almost comically wide as he stared at the large, golden package in her hands, and his mouth popped open to voice what was undoubtedly a protest. 

Luckily, she was ready for it and interrupted him before he even got the chance.

“I wanted to.” 

His cheeks darkened considerably as he paused at her words, and instead of giving a polite refusal, he huffed a small laugh and carefully took the box from her hands.

“I…” his voice trailed off as he looked down at his gift, and Lily watched as he opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before smiling softly at her. “Thank you.”

Lily smiled back at him as she began to pick at her nails. The nervousness she was already feeling increased ten-fold as Cullen began to unwrap the box, and she held her breath when he lifted the heavy, elaborate book from within. 

He took a step closer to the lit candles on her desk and looked over the cover. 

“Myths and Legends from Antiva,” he murmured with a smile.

“I - I purchased it while I was in Val Royeaux,” explained Lily. “It reminded me of the chat we had a while ago - when we were telling each other scary stories from our childhood.”

“Yes,” Cullen grinned. “I have to admit I’ve been curious to hear more about them. Are - ” he hesitated, looking almost embarrassed. “Forgive me, I’m still not quite sure how to pronounce the ones you’ve shared with me.”

Lily chuckled as she remembered the small Antivan lesson she had given him a few months ago. 

“_La llorona _ and the _ Chupacabra?__”_ she asked, as she stepped closer to look at the cover. Cullen’s familiar scent washed over her then - oakmoss and elderflower combined with hints of armor polish and leather - and she cleared her throat in an effort to focus. “Their stories are also there. I thought you might like to revisit them again.” 

The soft smile he gave her warmed his entire face, and she had to remind herself to take a breath when she met his amber gaze.

“I’m looking forward to reading this,” he said quietly. “Thank you, again.”

“Of course,” murmured Lily. 

Silence settled between them and the warmth in her face made itself known once again when she realized just how close they were. It was almost hard to make herself step away from him, but she did so anyway, pushing aside the disappointment she felt at her own decision. 

She heard Cullen loosen a breath next to her, and looked up to find him gathering the torn paper and placing it in the box, along with his new book.

“Well, I... I should get going,” he sighed. “There are some missives I need to complete in the morning, along with a new group of soldiers that need training.” 

“I understand,” nodded Lily, as she ignored her desire to ask him to stay a little longer. It was already past midnight, after all. “Please don’t stay up too late?”

Cullen hesitated and gave her a small smile. 

“I’ll try my best not to. Goodnight, Lily.”

“Goodnight.” 

Lily watched him leave for a moment, only turning away when he began to descend down the steps. Her gaze went straight to the journal he had gifted to her, and she traced the edges of a few flowers on the cover, not quite believing what had just happened within the last hour. 

At least she had finished going through all of her reports - she wasn’t sure if she would have been able to go through anything with her mind feeling like a complete mess. 

The rushing thoughts in her mind froze as her gaze landed on the completed reports that were meant for Cullen. She grabbed the stack of parchment and hurried across the room, hoping she would catch him before he left. 

She called his name just as he opened the door, and he turned in surprise as she quickly descended down the stairs. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Sorry,” she breathed, as she came to a stop in front of him. “I just wanted to give you these now since you’re going to be so busy tomorrow and - ”

Whatever she had been about to say flew out of her mind when she caught sight of a small bundle of mistletoe hanging from the doorway, right above Cullen’s head.

_ Damn it, Raphael. _

Cullen furrowed his brows in concern before he followed her line of sight, only to freeze in place.

_ Oh, no_.

“I’m… I’m _ so _ sorry,” Lily blurted, as she felt heat surge into her face. “This is all Raphael’s doing, he’s been playing jokes on me all day - _ please _ don’t feel forced to - ”

Her blabbering got caught in her throat when she noticed Cullen looking at her with an intense yet gentle expression that was unsure but yet somehow… _ open? _

“I - I wouldn’t feel forced to - ” he began, as he rubbed the back of his neck. Color seemed to bloom up his skin as he stared at the floor, reaching all the way to the tips of his ears. “I mean, I - I wouldn’t mind if - oh, Maker.” 

Lily gaped at him, feeling as if her heart was about to beat out of her chest. 

Cullen released a deep breath as he met her eyes again, this time with a hint of what appeared to be resolve within the warm amber of his eyes. 

“Would it be alright if - ” he hesitated again and cleared his throat before speaking in a quiet voice. “May I?”

Lily’s mind barely registered the exact meaning behind Cullen’s words as she continued to stare at him with her mouth hanging open. She quickly closed her mouth and swallowed as her heart kept pounding in her chest, not quite believing what she just heard. 

_ It’s just a kiss, _ she thought. _ You’ve been giving and receiving them all day. Don’t turn this into more than it is. _

Still, she decided to give him a way out in case he felt any doubt. She took a deep breath as she willed herself to meet his gaze once again, and nodded.

“But only if you’re okay with it,” she said quietly.

Cullen’s lips tugged up into a soft smile. 

“I am.”

He took a small step closer and slowly leaned forward, almost as if he was giving her a chance to change her mind, but she remained firm and found herself also slightly leaning towards him the moment his familiar scent enveloped her, and even more so when she felt his lips place a soft kiss on her cheek. 

Her eyes fluttered closed at the feeling of his soft lips and rough stubble on her skin, but as soon as it began, it was over. She opened her eyes to find him looking at her with a soft smile, a quiet sigh escaping him as he gave her a small nod and turned to leave.

Before Lily realized what she was doing, she reached out to touch the back of Cullen’s hand, causing him to quickly look back at her in surprise. She noticed how he didn’t seem to shy away from her touch, and before she could stop and think about what in Thedas had gotten into her, she linked a few of her fingers with his and took a deep breath as she ignored how her heart raced in her chest.

“Can I?” she asked quietly.

His eyes widened as he understood what she meant, and he loosened a breath through his parted lips before gently tightening his warm fingers around hers. 

“Yes.”

Maker, her heart felt as if it was doing backflips.

She willed her hand to remain steady in his as she slowly stepped forward and rose onto her toes, closing her eyes just as she gently pressed her lips to his warm, stubbled cheek. 

There was nothing but wonder in his face when she stepped back a second later, and her breath hitched when she felt his thumb lightly trace over one of her knuckles before letting go. 

“Maker,” he whispered. 

He gazed at her for a few seconds, almost as if he was trying to decide what to say, but instead sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

“Well, I… I seem to have taken up enough of your evening,” he murmured sheepishly. “Until tomorrow, I hope?”

Lily smiled shyly and nodded, not fully trusting herself to be capable of speech at that particular moment. Thankfully, she managed to respond when he wished her a good night and excused himself, and she somehow kept her legs steady as she climbed up the stairs towards her quarters.

Her mind was jumbled and racing, but two thoughts in particular were enough to slow it all down.

_ It was just a kiss. Don’t turn it into something more. _

...A simple kiss, that’s all it was.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! <3


End file.
